Which rule frustrates you the most?

[Sttew]

For me it is the Holding the Ball rule.

The way this rule is applied is so inconsistent. When you have 4 or 5 players stacked on top of each other with the ball in amongst the bodies, it seems the umpire often guesses which player at the bottom of the pack is holding the ball. If the holding the ball occurs in the forward 50 you know the likelihood is that the umpire will bounce the ball rather than gift a shot on goal.

Then there is the "prior opportunity" aspect. How often do we ask "what possible opportunity did he have"?

 

[Daytripper]

Definitely the holding the ball rule.

Its just pathetic that a guy goes in to get the ball, 4 guys pile on top giving him no opportunity to get rid of it and he is pinged for it. I don't mind if a player drags the ball back in to the pack but to punish a player for going to get the ball is disgraceful.

Its a joke of a rule and is not part of footy as I used to know it.

 

[mehow2g]

Holding the ball rule in a pack gets paid more than hard tackling and incorrect disposal.

 

[baja]

All of them, Im being serious.. Interpretations... Umpires have become so inconsistent that it frustrates me and it simply comes down to consistency. Any rule will work if consistent!

Also I think that any rule change takes a generation to work, growing up I only experienced a few rule changes it used to be simple for both players and umpires.
These days they even change the rules mid season ffs, leave the game alone. For every rule change theres a change in game style that will require another rule change its getting worse and worse.

Name me another sport that has had as many rule changes over the last ten or twenty years?

 

[QuietB]

Incorrect disposal. I hate seeing players tackled perfectly and they let it go and throw their arms out. Is completely infruriating when they 1/ get a hold the man decision or 2/ conveniently drop/hand it off to a passing team mate.

If a player has had prior opportunity the responsibility should be on them to dispose of the thing legally.

 

[vonn]

HTB and Incorrect disposal. Way too inconsistent.

The 'High' Tackle rule is a little irritating too, as it's very easy to duck into it.

 

[Headless]

The vast majority of them.

What really grinds my gears is when a free kick is plucked out during a ruck contest. All ruck contests (from a boundary throw-in or bounce around the ground) are basically a strength contest. When one ruckman actually wins that contest they get penalised with a free kick against for "holding the man."

I don't get it.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

HTB is ludicrous, but what's really getting my goat recently is the ridiculous over officiation of deliberate out of bounds. God it frustrates me. It's not the umpires fault necessarily, just the morons who tell them how to interpret them.

We had one a few weeks ago where a 50 metre kick to a team-mate slewed off the side of the boot, wobbled out of bounds, and was called deliberate. Gieschen then justifies it by saying "it was to a team mate, but it was a torpedo, not a drop punt". Since when the **** did the different sort of (mis)kick have any bearing on the ruling? DOOB should be for efforts where there is no other intention than taking the ball out of play. If you are going to a team mate and mis-kick it, it isn't deliberate!! It's not the main aim of the disposal. Similarly, gaining meterage is a legitimate intention - it shouldn't be penalised because the ball going out is a secondary outcome.

Then this week, Stanton handballs down the line to beat a tackle, intending to try and get around the tackle, but because he happened to be near the boundary line, and it went out, the umpire paid it deliberate! It's ludicrous!! Annoys the living ****ing shit out of me

 

[Higs]

HTB is pretty ridiculous.

The smarter players can easily pretend like they're trying to punch the ball out whilst keeping it in - no penalty.

Players that genuinely can't get the ball out because they're wrapped up by numbers on the otherhand will get penalised because they made no genuine attempt - usually, I don't know, because they actually can't get their arms free in the first place?

 

[Igloo]

Incorrect disposal. I hate seeing players tackled perfectly and they let it go and throw their arms out. Is completely infruriating when they 1/ get a hold the man decision or 2/ conveniently drop/hand it off to a passing team mate.

If a player has had prior opportunity the responsibility should be on them to dispose of the thing legally.

This. Even when they aren't tackled, and they are being chased, pick up the ball, drop it, throw their arms out.

 

[Morris Major]

Holding the ball easy. It always gets paid when a dozen other players jump on the 'offender', but prior opportunity + dropping the ball always gets let go. WTF?

 

[Sttew]

HTB is an outrageous favorite. So who do we deputise to deliver the verdict to Gieshen?

 

[Ochre]

Advantage then holding the ball.

 

[piespremiers2011]

Holding the ball for frustration, advantage rule for utter bewildement, sub rule for total contempt and DOB for a good laugh!

 

[trev106]

Hands in the back gives me the shits. Most pointless rule change I can think off, it was already illegal too push a player in the back so why did we need a soft free kick for something as small as a light hand on the back?

 

[bacon buster]

incorrect disposal and HTB. the amount of throws allowed this year is just ridiculous, and just makes you want to go bananas.

 

[baja]

Hands in the back gives me the shits. Most pointless rule change I can think off, it was already illegal too push a player in the back so why did we need a soft free kick for something as small as a light hand on the back?

When you have eyes for the ball it should be fine to find 'touch' your opponents back to work out where he is in the contest its instinctive especially when he backs into you. Same with marking I dont mind a hand on shoulder if getting balance for a speccy. I agree its a shit rule as long as there is no definite push it should be fine.

 

[Bozo]

Ducking and getting a too high free easily. I can sort of understand the dropping the ball without penalty as tackling and congested footy is at such a high level in today's game that a holding ball decision for every infringement would just slow down the game and make it stop start. The AFL wants a free flowing sport hence the dismissal of the incorrect disposal rule and the penalty for diving on the ball and not knocking it out. I have to admit that it just doesn't look right a lot of the time though.

The sub rule is just counter-intuitive where the league decides to minimise the amount of injuries by increasing the likelihood of soft tissue injuries. The head high contact was just as counter-intuitive as it rewarded players for risking head injuries when the rule was brought in to reduce head injuries. I am not so upset when the free is for dangerous play but that usually attracts an MRP review as well. It is those where the player plays for the head high by headbutting the opponent's legs that makes me curse.

 

[bradrowe#32]

Players ducking their heads to elicit contact and then getting a free kick.

 

[Plugger35]

Hands in the back gives me the shits. Most pointless rule change I can think off, it was already illegal too push a player in the back so why did we need a soft free kick for something as small as a light hand on the back?

This rule really gets my goat too. Should go back to free kicks only for a push in the back, paying free kicks when hands are just placed on the back is ludicrous as the players are just holding their ground rather than affecting the marking contest. It's so inconsistent too, some are paid and some aren't.

Deliberate out of bounds has become a joke too, the Montagna one that went about 50 metres and bounced at right angles for about 20 metres was laughable. It seems like the umpires just get sucked in by the crowd who scream 'deliberate' everytime an opposition player takes the ball out.

 

[JuddsABlue]

Holding the ball by far

The inconsitancies of it are terrible, the rule is applied differently on many of the same exact circumstances

 

[The Passenger]

hands in the back. is a redicolous rule that rewards someone for overrunning the flight of the ball.

holding the ball can be very frustrating.

 

[raff23]

HTB is ludicrous, but what's really getting my goat recently is the ridiculous over officiation of deliberate out of bounds. God it frustrates me. It's not the umpires fault necessarily, just the morons who tell them how to interpret them.

We had one a few weeks ago where a 50 metre kick to a team-mate slewed off the side of the boot, wobbled out of bounds, and was called deliberate. Gieschen then justifies it by saying "it was to a team mate, but it was a torpedo, not a drop punt". Since when the **** did the different sort of (mis)kick have any bearing on the ruling? DOOB should be for efforts where there is no other intention than taking the ball out of play. If you are going to a team mate and mis-kick it, it isn't deliberate!! It's not the main aim of the disposal. Similarly, gaining meterage is a legitimate intention - it shouldn't be penalised because the ball going out is a secondary outcome.

Then this week, Stanton handballs down the line to beat a tackle, intending to try and get around the tackle, but because he happened to be near the boundary line, and it went out, the umpire paid it deliberate! It's ludicrous!! Annoys the living ****ing shit out of me

isaac smith's one in the 1st qtr on sunday was arguably worse, had shaw on his hammer going full pelt grabs the ball and handballs it in the 1 motion over the line, ludicrous decision, what was he supposed to do with it he is running in 1 direction close to the line. The HTB rule is by far though the worst, it is a deadset joke you get penalised for trying to win the ball, whoever decided this rule was good for footy (cough cough adrian anderson the girls blouse that he is...) is simply ruining the true fabric of the game.

 

[BluesMan]

"advantage, advantage," "oh wait" *whistle*

" bring it back, no advantage"

*team hits up target/clear advantage/kicks goal from the advantage that was brought back*

 

[Hipster Doofus]

HTB is ridiculous, player goes hunting after the footy and 3 guys jump on his back before he even has the ball properly under control...........HTB